Chick-Fil-A Gave More Than $1 Million To Anti-Gay Groups

Restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A has given more than $1 million to anti-gay groups over five years, a new investigation has found.

The findings compiled by the website EqualityMatters.org were released Tuesday.

According to the report's authors, the chicken restaurant funneled its anti-gay giving through the WinShape Foundation, the company's charitable arm founded in 1984.

Between the years of 2003 and 2008, the last year for which public records are available, WinShape distributed $1.1 million to 8 groups, including $631,600 to the National Christian Foundation, $480,000 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, $15,000 to Serving Marriages, $5,000 to the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), $5,000 to the Christian Camp and Conference Association, $2,850 to the Campus Crusade for Christ, $2,000 to the Georgia Family Council and $1,000 to the Family Research Council (FRC).

The largest benefactor of Chick-Fil-A's giving, the National Christian Foundation, in turn supports numerous anti-gay groups, including Focus on the Family, Family Life and the FRC, the report found.

The findings belie recent statements by Dan Cathy, president of Chick-Fil-A, in the wake of the restaurant's sponsorship of a marriage seminar closely associated with the anti-gay marriage group Pennsylvania Family Institute.

In a two-minute-twenty-seven-second video message released in January, Cathy denied that the company's donation was an endorsement of its values.

“Let me be clear, Chick-Fil-A serves all people and values all people,” Cathy said.

“Providing food to these events, or any event, is not an endorsement of the mission, political stance or motives of this or any other organization. Any suggestion otherwise is just inaccurate,” he added.

Speaking to the New York Times, Cathy said his company would “not champion any political agendas on marriage and family,” then added that it would “continue to offer resources to strengthen marriages and families.”